Chapter 127

The capital, Miller, trembled from one rumor.

< The suppression force was formed from the nominated candidates of the three princes. >

Additionally, a rumor circulated that all of Coat Barony’s authority and wealth will be given to the one who entered the barony first and cut off Elton’s neck.

The residents of Miller Castle didn’t believe these rumors.

The rumors were simply too ridiculous.

But as the two factions of Tommy Rinse and Kallum Rinse called their troops and tore through Miller Castle to gather war supplies, the rumor was revealed to be true.

Of course, because Prince Simon’s faction was unusually quiet and calm, it raised questions in many people.

“This is truly regrettable however I think about it.”

Viscount Tio Ruin smacked his lips.

Simon, who was next to him, bitterly smiled.

“It was unavoidable. It is my father’s, his majesty’s, order after all.”

He let out a short sigh and looked at Roan.

“Baron Tale. I’m counting on you.”

“Yes sir. I shall do my best.”

Roan faintly smiled and nodded his head.

Right now, Roan, Simon, and Tio were chatting in a small garden located at the outer edge of the palace.

Unlike Tommy and Kallum, who were madly running around, they had already finished their preparations to march.

It was all because they had learned the news of Elton Coat’s rebellion ten days earlier than others.

If King Deni Von Rinse hasn’t ordered them to march off on the same day and at same time, Roan would have already led the entire troops and marched north two days ago.

“Huu.”

Simon once again sighed as if he was regretful.

‘Even so, I can’t order the nobles near the Coat Barony to march either.’

Separate from Deni III’s order, he couldn’t order the nobles’ soldiers to march as he wished due to various circumstances.

‘If I’m not careful, nobles who support Tommy and Kallum could invade into the empty fiefs, and……’

As a consequence of the monster expedition that happened right after the war with Istel Kingdom, thieves were on the rise.

If he was to recklessly move the soldiers of the fiefs in this situation, the nobles who supported him could lose their footing instead.

‘Thanks to that, Tommy and Kallum’s sides also can’t move the nobles as they wish.’

In the end, the candidates the three princes nominated, Roan, Mills, and Chester, had to suppress the rebellion as Deni III intended.

“Huu.”

Simon once again exhaled a short sigh because of his complicated feelings.

Roan quietly watched that sight then whispered in a quiet voice.

“Prince.”

“Yes?”

“It may be possible that there is another reason why his majesty the king has excluded your royal highnesses and left your highnesses in the capital.”

Roan spoke in a very cautious manner.

If interpreted wrongly, his words may sound as if Deni III’s words of worry for his three children were a lie.

Thankfully, Simon correctly understood Roan’s words and feeling.

“I know. There will be a fierce fight here too without a doubt.”

He faintly smiled as he grabbed Roan’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry about here. I’ll do fine on my own.”

“Yes sir. Always be careful please.”

Roan slightly lowered his head.

Simon quietly watched him for a while then slowly stood up.

“Viscount Ruin. Should we slowly start to go back?”

“Yes. Understood, sir.”

Tio quickly stood up and checked his equipment.

Roan too stood up after him.

“In tomorrow’s marching ceremony, we won’t have any time to talk.”

Simon grabbed Roan’s shoulders.

The light in his eyes were passionate.

“Come back safe. I’ll wait in the palace.”

“Yes sir. I will come back with Elton’s head.”

Roan gave a short salute.

Simon brightly smiled and nodded his head.

“As expect, you are trustworthy.”

Those were his honest feelings.

Roan was more trustworthy than the sons of upper nobles like Mills and Chester.

Simon tapped Roan’s shoulder two-three times and walked out of the garden.

Tio lightly said goodbye with his eyes then quickly walked ahead of Simon.

Roan remained in the garden and watched the backs of the two people.

‘If he could control his anger, he is without a doubt an excellent prince.’

That was his honest evaluation of Simon.

But him losing his mind and rampaging once angered was a big problem.

Roan hadn’t realized Simon’s secret yet.

Because of that.

‘I’m not sure whether Prince Simon is suitable as the next King.’

Of course, there was Roan’s rather ambiguous position.

‘Can I truly be a monarch……?’

Becoming a noble and becoming a king were two things on two completely different dimensions.

Roan clenched his fist.

‘Nothing is impossible.’

Although it was a distant goal, he would definitely be able to achieve it if he walked forward step by step.

Also.

‘If one thinks about it, there are many more ways to become a king compared to becoming a noble.’

At the very least, he could start a rebellion like Elton and declare himself as a King.

‘Although the possibility of having my neck cut off will be high if I do it carelessly.’

Roan bitterly smiled.

A cold wind blew from the north.

‘Is it almost the time for winter to arrive……’

It wasn’t quite a good season to start a war.

‘I have to finish it as soon as possible.’

He planned to suppress the rebellion and return to the Tale Barony before the winter truly began.

‘I’ll await the spring there.’

It wasn’t simply the spring of seasons.

It was also the spring of life.

Roan was now ready to bloom.

*****

“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”

“Shut up. You know we aren’t close enough to ask each other that.”

One voice was smooth and the other was sharp.

But the two people’s eyes at least were all cold and sharp.

In the dark room, the two young men sat across a small table and scowled at each other.

The young man who first asked about the other’s health snickered and leaked out a laugh.

“Chester. That personality of yours still seems to be the same.”

“Shut it. Mills, it looks like you’re still putting up that friendly and kind act of yours that’s completely unlike you.”

The two young men’s identity.

They were Mills Voisa and Chester Kowan who were each chosen by Tommy Rinse and Kallum Rinse as candidates for the suppression force.

Mills slightly scrunched his nose.

“What do you mean a friendly act? It’s rather sad if you say it like that. Is Charlie well?”

Although it sounded as if he was affectionately asking someone’s health, his eyes were still icy and sharp.

Chester’s face immediately hardened.

“If you say my big brother’s name one more time, I’ll personally cut off your neck.”

Killing intent blew out.

It was like it could stop one’s breath.

But despite that, Mills’ expression was nonchalant.

“Ah, sorry. That was my bad.”

He raised one hand and showed a clownish smile.

With his still hardened expression, Chester glared at Mills.

Mills quietly watched that glare then once again laughed out.

“Kuk. There’s no need to glare so much. We’re here today to cooperate, after all.”

“Hm.”

Chester let out a low toned sigh.

He also knew well about the goal of today’s meeting.

‘If it wasn’t for that, there’s no reason for me to meet this disgusting bastard.’

Chester gritted his teeth.

Mills interlocked his fingers as he watched Chester.

“It seems Prince Simon raised a big achievement in the last monster expedition. Thanks to that, he became one step closer to being the Grand Duke of Grain compared to Prince Tommy and Prince Kallum who we follow.”

He put his chin on top of his interlocked fingers.

“That means we don’t have any room to step back. Also……’

Mills’ eyes shone with a nefarious light.

“You and I are the sons of Rinse Kingdom’s upper nobles’ houses and graduates of the famed Tron Academy, and we are people who are rising up and up in our own places. And if we were to fall behind a brat who was a mere country-bumpkin commoner until just now…… ah, isn’t it just dreadful to think about it?”

Chester didn’t react easily.

Unlike Mills, he wasn’t the type that was glib with his words.

“So what I’m saying is that let’s work together at least until we get to the Coat Barony.”

Chester opened his tightly shut mouth only then.

“And we’re acting on our own once we near the Coat Barony?”

“Of course.”

Mills lightly nodded his head.

Chester stared at Mills with calm eyes.

It wasn’t a bad proposal.

‘Honestly, I want to grab Roan Tale’s hand and throw out this bastard Mills, but……’

His pride didn’t permit that.

Although he had heard over and over about Roan’s skills from his father, Liss Kowan, and many other nobles until his ears bled, that didn’t mean he could recognize Roan as his rival.

‘Just where is this brat of lowly birth……’

To think he dared to think about standing shoulder to shoulder with them who were of prestigious upper nobility.

That at least couldn’t be tolerated.

‘That should be the same for the bastard Mills.’

Only because of that would he have extended his hand towards him while putting aside a slightly more advantageous position.

Chester nodded his head.

“Alright. Let’s do as you said.”

“As expected of Chester.”

Mills brightly smiled and opened his hands.

Tapping on the table with his finger, he continued to speak.

“Then let’s start setting up our plans.”

Chester nodded instead of answering.

And like that, the talk within the dark room continued on without an end.

The pitch-black space was full of only the two people’s voices.

No, although very quiet and unpleasant, there was another sound that no one paid attention to.

Squeak! Squeak squeak! Squeak!

*****

The marching ceremony was flashy.

There was no other way around it.

The march this time wasn’t for an expedition against monsters or a war against an enemy kingdom.

Rebellion.

The weight of that word was different.

To Roan, Mills, and Chester, Deni Von Rinse presented daggers inscribed with the king’s insignia.

That, as a symbol of King’s authority, represented the great order of suppressing the rebellion and vouched the right to do so.

It also meant that once Roan, Mills, and Chester marched off, not even the king, Deni III, could order or command them as he wished.

Vvuuuuu!

The horn echoed.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

And the grand sound of drums shook the earth and the sky.

Roan, Mills, and Chester rode on top of war horses and exited out of the castle’s gate while receiving the cheers of castle’s residents.

On the wide open field stood each troop.

Their numbers each reached ten thousand and totaled thirty thousand.

Since Elton’s fief army numbered three thousand, and at most ten thousand including forced conscripts and Baron Renard’s fief army that was absorbed later, it truly could be called an enormous army.

“Then, I pray for a successful fight.”

Mills slightly lowered his head while smiling brightly.

Chester glared once at Roan with a cold look and headed towards his own troops.

Roan made a bitter smile at the awkward and cold mood and gave a short salute.

“Let us meet in the Coat Barony.”

He spoke with a soft voice.

But no reply came back.

Vvuuuuu!

A moment later, Mills and Chester led their troops and began to march with the sound of the horn.

Although the two used two different roads, their directions were at least the same.

Instead of heading straight north, Mills and Chester chose the northwestern direction.

“It’s as we expected.”

Austin came close and whispered with a quiet voice.

Roan nodded his head as he watched the soldiers of the troops moving farther away.

“They probably thought that the nobles of the fiefs in the straight northward direction would obstruct them.”

The fiefs around the capital, Miller, and directly north were essentially Simon’s area of influence.

Especially ever since Simon had received the Aip Barony and the Posis Barony as rewards for the last monster expedition, his influence directly north of the capital became tighter and stronger.

Wary of nobles supporting Simon possibly holding them back or slowing down their marching speed, they decided to head in a northwestern direction where at least a bit of their influence touched.

‘That could be called a perfect judgment in a sense.’

In truth, Simon had set up a plan to slow down Mills and Chester’s marching speed with not too explicit methods if they entered his area of influence.

Roan smiled bitterly.

‘That should also be the same for Mills and Chester.’

If one were to argue, Roan’s side had a greater problem.

‘After all, south of the Coat Barony is all within Prince Tommy and Prince Kallum’s area of influence.’

The two princes’ support bases stood as if to protect the Coat Barony.

There was no way to circumvent them.

No, there was a way, but.

‘We’ll have to travel a great distance to go around them.’

It was a frustrating situation whichever way.

In truth, Simon and Tio also seriously pondered this situation.

But even so, Roan’s face was truly calm and relaxed.

He pulled his reins and stood in front of the troops’ soldiers.

It was a suppression force formed with the Amaranth troops at the core and parts of Simon and Tio’s troops.

“We directly march north!”

In any case, it was much faster than moving towards the northwest.

Roan sent a hand signal with his right hand.

Austin, who had been watching, shouted out loud.

“Tale troop! March!”

He shouted with a strong voice.

At the same time, the sound of horns echoed.

Vvuuuuuu!

Their hearts jumped naturally.

The blood pumped and the faces blushed bright red.

Roan kicked the horse and went forwards as the troop’s lead.

< Tale Troop. >

The military flag inscribed with the suppression troop’s official name fluttered.

< Roan Tale. >

The suppression force’s commander and chief, Roan’s flag waved, and.

< Amaranth Troop. >

The core of the troops, the Amaranth troops’ flag rippled in the northern wind.

Going against the cool northern wind piercing through his armor, Roan whispered quietly.

“Let our path be accompanied by the light of glory.”

*****

“What? Is that true?”

“It’s true. It is information that the soldiers chasing Tale Troops’ back had checked numerous times over.”

Mills creased his brows at the adjutant’s report.

Tapping his chin with the tip of his finger, he fell into his thoughts.

‘He’s moving not directly north but towards the northeastern direction?’

He couldn’t understand it.

The northeastern direction was a direction that slowly moved further away from the Coat Barony.

‘Is it to avoid the mountainous region spread south of the Coat Barony?’

But Mills soon shook his head.

Although the mountainous region spreads following the fief’s southern border, it wasn’t precipitous enough to be unclimbable.

‘Is it to avoid our sides’ forces that are encamped there as expected?’

It was the most likely theory.

But even that had questionable points.

‘Even if it was for that, they turned towards east too early on.’

Marching directly north as far north as they could then turning east was a more advantageous path than the one now.

‘Does he perhaps have some other scheme?’

If it was Roan’s skill and actions he had heard about until now, there was no way he would do something that would end in a loss without a reason.

Mills once again sealed the letter the adjutant had handed him.

“Take this to the capital.”

He planned to leave the work of finding Roan’s inconceivable reason for his march to the other nobles left in the capital.

‘I will march towards the Coat Barony as quickly as possible.’

He was well aware of what he had to focus on.

The adjutant cautiously received the letter and placed it within his chest pocket.

“I will make sure to definitely pass it on.”

He slightly bowed his head and walked back.

The adjutant soon disappeared from his sight.

‘Roan Tale……’

Mills slightly raised his head and looked up at the sky.

“Huu.”

A short sigh leaked out.

For some reason, his chest felt stifling.

When Mills was looking up at the sky, there was another man who was looking down at the ground for the same reason at the moment.

‘The northeastern direction……’

His face was contorted as if he couldn’t understand.

He was Chester, who had just now heard about the direction of Roan’s march from a soldier.

‘For now, I’ll leave that to the nobles left in the capital.’

Chester also decided to entrust inquiring about Roan’s strange march to the capital.

Like Mills, he planned to focus only on marching towards the Coat Barony as fast as he could.

As if by fate, Mills and Chester, who were a bit apart, murmured the same words.

“Roan Tale. There won’t be anything to do so far away from the Coat Barony.”

Would that really be so?

That was something only Roan would know of.